Il Fornaio - Irvine (CA)

5 /5 Luther G: 10/12/25 Celebrated our 11 year wedding anniversary. Great service. No wait. Exceptional! We will be back again soon. 8/17/25 Well be back. Thank you for the excellent service & cuisine.

5 /5 Sebastian Garcia: This was voted best for a reason! Everything on this menu was delicious. The calamari. The zuppa was stunning! Great service. Great drinks. Great food. You could relax here with some cocktails and enjoy your afternoon! Great for a date night!

4 /5 Yalcin Aslan: Ive heard a lot of great things about this place, so Ive been wanting to try it for a while. I finally got the chance yesterday, but overall, it didnt live up to the hype—nothing was particularly amazing except for the service. The staff were fantastic; their attentiveness and friendliness made the experience enjoyable from start to finish. However, the food was just mediocre Italian fare. I might have chosen the wrong dish—a Fusilli Salmon Fillet—which didnt impress me at all. It lacked the flavor and excitement I was hoping for. Would I come back? Maybe, especially if Im in the mood for solid service, but I definitely wont be craving it or rushing to return anytime soon. If youre going, Id suggest exploring the menu more carefully or asking for recommendations.

4 /5 Sadeen B: I had a decent experience overall. The service was great—super friendly and on top of everything, which really made the visit feel welcoming. The atmosphere was nice, but the seating felt a little cramped in some areas, especially if you’re looking for a more chill or spacious vibe. The food was super fresh and good quality, though flavor-wise it was just okay—nothing that really stood out. That said, the prices were pretty reasonable for the area, which made it feel worth it overall. Solid spot if you’re craving Italian with good service and a nice setting.

4 /5 Nathy’s favorites: The restaurant from the outside is beautiful, from the inside it almost felt like a restaurant at an all-inclusive hotel. It is still beautiful, it’s just not an intimate Italian restaurant feeling. The service was excellent, our waters were refilled continuously. The server was very welcoming and friendly. They brought bread and it was warm, which is definitely a plus. The pasta was good, and the food came out fairly quickly. I recommend the chicken Parmesan, it was really good. I was disappointed with the tiramisu, it was not great and would not recommend it. Overall it’s a good option for an Italian dinner in Irvine, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend for a special occasion.